The death of Virgil Abloh hangs heavy over Paris Fashion Week, which kicked off with the luminary designer's final Off-White™ collection.
Despite Abloh's physical absence, he continues to shape Off-White™ via WhatsApp messages he left behind (all rich with ideas for future concepts), and Davide De Giglio and Andrea Grilli — members of Off-White's leadership™ and Abloh's close friends, who will act as the designer's posthumous voice.
In the wake of Abloh's death, De Giglio and Grilli followed through on several of his ideas, including couture-like "high fashion" and a Church's collaboration.
Amid all the buzz generated by the exquisite garments, it was easy to miss another of the late designer's blossoming seeds: Off-White™'s move into beauty, a category that the brand began exploring last year via a collaboration with Amorepacific.
The all-star cast of last night's show (Naomi Campbell, Ian Isiah, and Serena Williams were among those who hit the runway in honor of Abloh) were done up in Off-White™: Paperwork, the label's upcoming beauty collection.
Though it's not entirely clear what products will be included in the line, it appears to include multi-colored stickers reading "FACE," and "Babe," applied to models' cheekbones. Other donned subtle stripes of color on their lips, perhaps another hint at what's to come.
Highsnobiety reached out to Off-White™ for additional information on the label's foray into beauty. A representative confirmed that the line will not launch until later this spring.
Off-White™'s FW22 show was yet another testament to Abloh's enduring impact, a legacy that manifests on the streets — and soon, on our faces.
